Chicago Bulls: Why Ayo Dosunmu can contribute in his rookie season

Why Ayo Dosunmu can contribute for the Chicago Bulls: 3. Earn his teammates’ trust

Years after the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the ’90s was a distant memory, stories of the inner workings of the team began to emerge. Michael Jordan told the story of a practice the day after Dennis Rodman took a mid-season excursion to Las Vegas. Players who never left the team were struggling during a conditioning drill, meanwhile “The Worm” was running laps around everyone and seemingly the best-conditioned athlete on the court. No matter how eccentric he was, everyone on the team trusted that Dennis Rodman would be ready at all times.

There is no exact formula on how to gain the trust of one’s teammates. Words like “consistency” and “authenticity” are often thrown around, but those words have vague meanings in an NBA locker room. Although trust is hard to define, it is woven into the fabric of every successful team.

The Chicago Bulls have a talented core that should propel them to the playoff if they perform to the best of their abilities. Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, Nikola Vučević, and DeMar DeRozan are a savvy group of veterans who know how to play the game. Ayo Dosunmu must prove to these players that he belongs on the court and he can help the team achieve their goals.

With Coby White expected to miss the majority of training camp with a shoulder injury, additional minutes will be available early in the season. Dosunmu is out to prove he deserves to be in the rotation. If his award-winning performance last season at Illinois is any indicator, he will make the right moves and prove he belongs.